WSIS Revisited: Mapping the ideological divide

Document Type

Article

Department

Graduate School of Media and Communications

Abstract

Freedom of expression, the free flow of information and ideas and the ability to receive and impart knowledge and opinions through any media regardless of frontiers underpin the vision of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) for inclusive information societies (Breit and Servaes 2005). Collectively, these characteristics have been described as a fundamental human right to freedom of expression. This paper argues that grounding the information society vision on Western liberal concepts of 'rights', 'freedom' and 'common good' is problematic. The following discussion explores the ethical dilemma facing information society visionaries as a result of an 'ideological' divide that emerges within the project.

Comments

This work was published before the author joined Aga Khan University.

Publication (Name of Journal)

Ethical Space: The International Journal of Communication Ethics

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